Humble Beginnings
by scarygothchick
Summary: The beginnings of the crimefighting team that we all know and love! Starts in their hometown high school, grows with their first malt shop gathering, and grows even more with their first mystery.
1. chapter 1

"Like, Scooby... what are we doing here?" Shaggy asked his furry companion as they walked through their hometown high school.  
  
"GROOVY!" someone exclaimed down the hallway. "Like, a doggy! Shagedelic!"  
  
"Hey, Scoob! Be polite. That groovy chick is Amy, from my homeroom. She must dig dogs!"  
  
"Dogs?" Scooby asked, looking around uncertainly. "Where?"  
  
Shaggy chuckled. "Like, you man! You're a dog Scoob! You still haven't figured that out yet?"  
  
Scooby soon forgot his master's enquiries, as Amy stepped up to him, not wasting time as she quickly began petting his back.  
  
"Aww! Like, what's his name Shaggy?" Amy asked, her twinkling blue eyes glued on Scooby's face.  
  
"His name is Scooby, and he's a-" Shaggy started to brag about his friend's breed, but the principal quickly interrupted him.  
  
"HEY! YOU YOUNG MAN! WHAT IS THAT DOG DOING IN THE SCHOOL?! GET IT OUT OF HERE! NOW!"  
  
"Like," Shaggy gulped. "Like, let's get out of here Scoob, nice seeing you Amy. We've gotta like, bolt out of here!"  
  
Shaggy quickly grabbed Scooby by the collar and dragged him through the busy hallway and out of the front door before the principal got to them. Amy just giggled, waving goodbye from where she stood as they left.  
  
"Row, rat ras rlose!" (Translation: "Wow, that was close!") Scooby exclaimed as they walked across the front lawn.  
  
"Yeah Scoob, totally close! Like, I knew we shouldn't have come here. Like... now where will we go, Scoob? You aren't allowed in the school."  
  
Scooby whimpered. "You'll have to stay here, by this tree." Shaggy told him as they got into the shade. "I'll be out to get you as soon as school is over. Don't leave by yourself, okay?"  
  
Scooby cowered next to the tree, and watched as Shaggy walked away back towards the school. He waved encouragingly before ducking inside, as the bell rang.  
  
Scooby curled up under the shade, and began to take a nap. 


	2. chapter 2

Five minutes later, Scooby was woken up by an exclaimed "Jinkies!" He drowsily woke up to a girl standing beside him, leaning down peering through her black-rimmed glasses with a book in her hand. She laughed at him curiously, before sitting down. "Wow, a dog! Why are you here? Are you lost?"  
  
Scooby huffed to himself. "Ry raster ris rin ree rhool! Ryme rot rallowed..." (Translation: "My master is in the school! I'm not allowed...) He began to whimper again.  
  
"Awww! Your master is in class! They will be back in no time. Dogs aren't really allowed in this school. But don't worry, I'll keep you company. By the way, my name is Velma." Velma began to pat Scooby, and soon he fell asleep. She then opened up her book, and began to read.  
  
It was a sunshiny day, and Velma had nothing better to do. She finished all of her credits, and decided to pick her homeroom period to be her allowed free time. So in the morning she could curl up under the shade and read a nice mystery novel, or even Mark Twain perhaps. She felt sorry for the dog that would have to be here by itself when the first hour of school was over though. She wished she could stay all day to keep it company, at least until its master came back.  
  
All of a sudden, as she was reading, Scooby woke up and started to look around. Then, he started to growl, and started to run towards a football being flown a few yards away.  
  
Velma repositioned her glasses, and quickly set her book down, before attempting to run after him. "Um... doggy! Please come back! You can't run after the football!"  
  
Up ahead, Scooby ran up to a boy who was just about to throw the football to another student, and knocked him down. "HEY! Stupid dog! Give that back!"  
  
Scooby took it, and ran off with it.  
  
"HEY!!" He stood up, and noticed Velma.  
  
"Is that mutt yours?" he asked.  
  
"Um... no... I'm not sure who his master is. I was just watching it-"  
  
"Well get that dog away from my football, please."  
  
"I will but... hey..." Velma took off her glasses, cleaned them with her shirt, and placed them back on her face. "Aren't you Fred Jones?"  
  
Fred sighed. "Yeah... if you aren't going to do anything about this, I will." He started to run after Scooby. 


	3. chapter 3

"Fred!" Velma called after him, but it was too late. Scooby was chased all around the schoolyard, and she was amazed that Fred could even catch up with the dog at all.  
  
After a few minutes, Scooby ran back to Velma after dropping his football. Fred picked it up, and after making sure there were no teeth marks or slobber on it, he threw it to his friend who was standing there not sure what to make of anything. "Fred... you could have just waited until the dog got tired..."  
  
"And have him ruin my football? No way! Why, would you have let some dog take your football Tom?" Fred asked. Tom just shrugged. "We're gonna be late to practice... Coach won't like that..."  
  
Fred sighed. "Go ahead. I'll be there in a minute." Tom nodded and waved, walking towards the football field with Fred's football.  
  
Fred walked back to Velma. "Hey, I'm uh... sorry about that. But your dog shouldn't have taken something that wasn't his."  
  
"He was just having a little fun..." Velma said, smiling. "And he isn't my dog. I'm just watching him." Scooby whimpered, looking towards the school. Velma noticed. "He's waiting for his master. You know how Mrs. Briddlewinkle doesn't let animals in her school...."  
  
Fred nodded. "Yeah, I know." He laughed. "That's why Tom and I were playing catch. So the coach can sneak us in later." He winked. "Well, I have to go. I hope that dog isn't too much trouble..." He walked away, waving, and quickly disappeared behind the school.  
  
"Uh-oh..." Velma exclaimed, looking at her watch. "The dismissal bell is going to ring any minute." She sighed, looking down at Scooby who had lain down in the grass next to her. "You'll have to wait here the rest of the day. I could come out during lunch, but I have library duty then straight after eating. But don't worry... I'm sure your master will come out. It will only be a few hours." She walked back to the tree, making sure Scooby followed her. "But maybe I can sneak out to make sure he shows up. Bye!"  
  
"Rye, rye!" (Translation: "Bye, bye!") Scooby waved with his paw, before slinking down to the ground to finish his nap. 


	4. chapter 4

"SCOOOOOB!!!!" Scooby had barely laid down, before opening his eyes moments after Velma disappeared into the school.  
  
"RAGGGYYY!!!!!!" Scooby exclaimed, running to his master that just emerged from the school. They met in the middle of the schoolyard.  
  
"I'm sorry you've been stuck outside, Scooby. Here." He took an apple from out of his pocket and handed it to Scooby, who devoured it, licking his lips afterwards. "Sorry I don't have any French fries... or a yummy sub... all they really serve is fruits and vegetables. And mystery meat, yuck! But I'll try to check on you every hour, okay? I'll come out during lunch, too, and give you some more snacks."  
  
Shaggy looked behind him as the late bell rang. "Oops... I'll be late to Chem.... Well, seeya later buddy!" He patted his friend on the head before heading back to class. Scooby whimpered for a little while after his master disappeared, but was soon lulled to sleep from the sun, and was thankful to be in the shade.  
  
A few hours later, Velma came out carrying a few books in front of her. She practically stumbled down the front stairs from not being able to see, and her glasses fell off. Scooby noticed, having just woken up, and rushed to the sidewalk where they had fallen. He gingerly picked up the glasses and went back to the tree, where Velma had set her books down. "Thank you." She said, a smile on her face after taking the glasses back. She cleaned them with her orange sweater, and then put them back on before taking the brown paper lunch bag that was set on top of her textbooks and opening it, bringing out some water, a slice of apple pie, and a sandwich.  
  
She began to eat, propping up a textbook and reading it while she ate her sandwich. Scooby watched, his mouth watering from the sight of that apple pie... just sitting there. "Oh... so you like apple pie, then, huh? Well, here. You can have it. This sandwich will more than fill me up, anyway." Velma handed him the slice of apple pie, and he swallowed it whole. Velma laughed, amazed at his appetite.  
  
"I see you've made a new friend, Scooby." Shaggy exclaimed sitting down next to them. "Raggggyyy....." Shaggy laughed, handing Scooby half of his sandwich.  
  
"Hi, Shaggy. This is your dog?" Velma asked, taking her eyes off of her text.  
  
"Yep. My buddy, ol' pal. We're like two peas in a groooovy pod." He exclaimed, biting into his own half of sandwich.  
  
Velma laughed. "So I see... what's his name?"  
  
"Scooby. I've had him since he was a pup."  
  
"He's a cute dog." Velma exclaimed, rubbing Scooby behind the ears. They talked for a full hour, before returning to class. "I just missed my library duty... oh well. Hopefully I can see you later, Scooby!"  
  
"Hey... why don't we go to a malt shop?" Shaggy asked before they returned to school. "We'll meet back here after our last class."  
  
"Okay, sure. There's a great one down the street, and they're dog friendly." She picked up her books, taking her crumpled paper bag and throwing it in a nearby receptacle. They said goodbye to Scooby, and then walked back together. 


	5. chapter 5

That afternoon, Shaggy, Velma, and Scooby were sitting in a corner booth at the local malt shop after school. Shaggy and Scooby were eagerly gulping down their share of jumbo French fries, while Velma silently chewed down a nutritional sandwich, laughing in all the right places. She was amazed at what a pair they were, and how strong their appetites could be.  
  
"The Malt Shop", which it was titled, was full of students after school. Clustered in groups about the small space sharing malt shakes and talking about the latest gossip, with even a few of the popular types outside in the parking lot, leaning against their cars and chowing down on hotdogs. It was a regular hangout for all students.  
  
"Hey, Velma!" She turned to see Fred Jones standing near their table, with a redheaded girl beside him for company.  
  
"Hi Fred." Velma smiled at him, and when Shaggy and Scooby could manage to swallow their current fries, they waved at him as well.  
  
"So... that big dog is yours, huh, Shaggy?" Shaggy nodded, and then moved over for Fred to sit down. Daphne sat next to Velma on the other side of the table. "Oh! Sorry. I forgot my manners..." Fred said, sheepishly. "Everyone, this is Daphne Blake. The star cheerleader."  
  
She laughed. "Fred! I have other qualities besides my great cheerleading, you know."  
  
"I've seen you in class." Velma told her. "How are you doing on formulated equations in math?"  
  
"Well... it's not my cup of tea, but I'm getting by." She laughed again.  
  
The attention was turned to Scooby, who had stolen the last of the French fries while Shaggy had made room for Fred. "Hey! I thought we were sharing?"  
  
"Rhee-hee-hee, hee-hee!" ((yay! I attempted the laugh! Lol I hope I did okay)) Scooby laughed. "Rorry." (translation: "Sorry!")  
  
"Humph." Shaggy crossed his arms defiantly, definitely not pleased. "And they say you're man's best friend..." Everyone laughed.  
  
But the mood was changed immediately as they overheard a man sitting at a place in front of the bar, talking to the man on the other side wiping out shake glasses, every once in awhile filling an order. "They say the place is haunted..." He was a strange looking man, in dark green overalls with a scruffy beard and white hair. It was strange to see such a man in the malt shop while it was filled with students, even more strange that they could even over hear him, but they could. "The man who owns it, he says he can barely get any customers anymore. And the hauntings only happen during certain showings..."  
  
"Really?" The man behind the counter barely seemed interested, but Scooby and the gang were puzzled. "What place is this?"  
  
"The new theater that's opened across town. It's only been open a week." The man replied.  
  
"Hmmm..." The man continued to pretend to be interested in what the other man was saying, but was given a break when a group of teenagers came up to give orders. While he was filling them out, the man turned and looked over at their booth, surprising even Velma. The strange man looked straight at them a few minutes, and then turned away.  
  
"Woah..." Fred whispered. "What is that guy's problem?"  
  
"I don't know..." Daphne replied, shuddering a bit. "But he certainly gives me the creeps."  
  
"I wonder what he's talking about..." Velma wondered out loud. "I wasn't even aware that there was a new theater in town."  
  
"If there is, Scoob and I aren't going anywhere near it if there're ghosts." Shaggy interjected, drinking his malt shake with a straw.  
  
"Reah, rorhere rear rit rif rhere rar rhosts..." (translation: "Yeah, nowhere near it if there are ghosts...") Scooby agreed, sticking his own straw into Shaggy's drink.  
  
"I'm sort of interested... witnessing a haunting could be fun." Fred exclaimed to the others. "It's nothing you see every day. Maybe I can convince the team to go with me and check it out. I bet it's just some guy in a mask."  
  
Daphne rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Boys can be so immature... what if it isn't fake? What if the ghosts are real? We need you guys to be at the game tomorrow night, not home under the covers scared to death because you saw some ghosts."  
  
Even Velma had to laugh at what Daphne said. Fred just glared at her. "That's not a fair thing to say. I'm sure it's fake, I'll even prove it!" He gloated.  
  
"Ha! How?" Daphne asked, skepticism written all over her face.  
  
"I'll go there, when it's closed. Tonight. And,-." He added after a moment. "You all can come with me, and I'll prove it."  
  
Daphne was shocked, but before she could say anything Velma interrupted. "Perhaps it would be fun... and we could ask questions, and look around for clues. If you are right, Fred, I'm sure we could figure it out fairly easily."  
  
"Nuh-uh... I'm not going near that place!" Shaggy declared.  
  
"Oh come on!" Velma coaxed. "It could be fun."  
  
Shaggy and Scooby just sat there, shaking their heads. "I have an idea..." Daphne exclaimed. "I'll be right back." She stood up from the table, and walked out.  
  
"What is she doing?" Fred asked. Velma only shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure.."  
  
A few moments later, she came back with a green box. She stood in front of the table, not sitting back down, and began to shake the contents. "Would you do it for a... Scooby Snack?" She shook out two of the dog biscuits she aptly named after Scooby, and held them up in front of him. She was surprised when Shaggy was also eager for a piece of the morsel.  
  
"Reah!" Scooby said. "Reah! Reah! Reah!" Daphne laughed and threw one of them into his mouth, and he gobbled it up.  
  
"Like, yeah! I'll do it for a Scooby Snack!" Daphne giggled again as she threw the other one into Shaggy's mouth, watching the same results.  
  
"Who knew a human could be so much like his furry companion..." Velma said, voicing the same thoughts as the others.  
  
"It will be all five of us, on a mystery." Fred exclaimed. "I'll meet you all back here tonight at 10, and I can drive us in my van."  
  
Velma laughed. "The Mystery Machine!" she jokingly called it. "Okay. Is everyone else in, then?"  
  
"Definitely, I wouldn't miss it!" Daphne exclaimed, itching to prove Fred wrong. Shaggy and Scooby just watched that box of dog treats that she set on the table, and nodded.  
  
"Then we'll meet back here tonight. But for the moment," Fred said, looking at the clock. "I have to leave for football practice. See you guys later." He stood up and Daphne also joined him after saying her own goodbyes as she grabbed the box of dog treats with a playful look at Shaggy and Scooby, and they left together.  
  
Velma finished her sandwich, and Scooby slurped up the last of Shaggy's malt shake. "Rhyme rill rared rough...." (translation: "I'm still scared, though.") Shaggy patted his friend on the head.  
  
"We all are, buddy." 


	6. chapter 6

Thankyou so much for all of the reviews! I never thought I'd actually get any in the first place. And I realize that it's been a month, and I'm sorry. I was sort of working on it a little here, a little there. I also realize that it is sort of short... but I'm sort of trying to write it in the same sort of fasion as the actual cartoon, (wow... so many "sort of's" in this sentence) and I think it being short sort of helps to convey the story abit. But thanks again! I appreciate it. I just hope my writer's block is gone for good and I'll really try not to make the wait so long next time x.x;

* * *

Later that night, Scooby, Shaggy, and Velma were standing in front of The Malt Shop. It was dark inside, and the shop was closed, but they were waiting for Fred.  
  
Suddenly, a big white van parked in front of them, and Fred popped his head out of the driver's side window. "Come on you guys, there's plenty of room."  
  
Velma got up front with Daphne and Fred, while Shaggy and Scooby opened the rear entrance and sat directly behind them. "Do any of you have any idea where this place is?" Fred asked as he started to back out.  
  
"I asked my parents about it over dinner," Velma replied. "They've heard of it, and said that it's on the corner of Queen Street and Oaktree Avenue directly beside a department store. It shouldn't be too hard to find."  
  
"Okay, I think I know where Oaktree Avenue is." Fred confirmed.  
  
"How are we going to get in?" Daphne asked. "It's closed."  
  
"We'll figure something out." Fred said.  
  
Within only a few minutes of leaving The Malt Shop, they came across the theater right where Velma's parents said it would be. There was a light on inside, but the rest of the place was dark. They parked in front of the parking lot and then proceeded towards the entrance.  
  
Fred was the one that tried the front door, and it opened easily. "Hmmm... it looks as if it's unlocked. Let's go." They followed him inside, closing the door behind them.  
  
After walking past the lobby and into one of the two viewing rooms, they soon discovered why.  
  
A janitor was in one of the aisles of seats, mopping up the floor with a bucket of suds beside him. He looked up as the group entered.  
  
"What are you kids doing in here? The theater is closed. Get out." He exclaimed grumpily before returning to work.  
  
"Actually, sir... We've come to investigate a possible haunting we've heard about." Velma told the man. "If you don't mind, we'd like to look around for some clues."  
  
"Yes, I'd mind. You don't belong in here. Get out." He repeated himself, without even looking up.  
  
"It looks like we should go..." Fred told the others.  
  
"Okay! Maybe some other day..." Shaggy said cheerfully. Scooby nodded. "Reah, raybe rome rother ray." (Translation: Yeah maybe some other day.)  
  
They walked back to the lobby, but Shaggy and Scooby were the only ones that went near the exits. "Hold on, you two. He's not getting rid of us that easily. There are plenty of other rooms to search." Fred told them.  
  
"Can't we just wait in the van?" Shaggy asked, sounding hopeful.  
  
"No. We need to figure this out, the more help the better." Fred answered.  
  
Shaggy and Scooby sighed, reluctantly returning to where Fred and the rest were standing in the lobby. "Now let's split up. Shaggy, you go with Velma and Scooby and search this lobby and the other viewing room for any sort of clues. Daphne and I will try and find any storage areas."  
  
"Good luck, you guys!" Daphne waved before she and Fred left the lobby.  
  
"Hey! You guys can't eat _now_!" Velma put her hands on her hips once she realized that Shaggy and Scooby were digging into the concession stand, scooping out popcorn and slurping down soda from the machine behind the counter. Scooby found some licorice candy and started to unroll it, straight into his mouth.  
  
Shaggy gulped down the popcorn he was currently chewing on. "_Like_, you don't expect us to find a ghost on an empty stomache, do you?"  
  
"You guys can stay here, then. I'll go look in the second viewing room."  
  
"Rokay." Scooby agreed for both of them, not even looking up as he finished his first large roll of red licorice.  
  
"Like, Scoob... No wonder there's a ghost here, man. He's probably haunting this place for the food!" Shaggy exclaimed between mouthfuls of popcorn.  
  
Scooby laughed. "Reah... Ror ra food."  
  
Shaggy dug his head under the counter, picking up fistfuls of candy from their small bins. "Hey Scooby, there's so much candy under here... Sno-caps, sour apple treats... chocolate-covered raisins..." He laughed. "Aw, man! There are even chocolate bars!"  
  
"Rum... Raggy?"  
  
"Yeah, Scoob?" Shaggy replied, finding a bin full of lolli-pops, his head still completely under the counter.  
  
"Rare's a rh-rh-rh-rh-,"  
  
"Scoob, spit it out. There's a what?" Shaggy said, backing out of the counter in order to stand up.  
  
"RA RHOST!!!!!!!!!!" Scooby jumped on Shaggy, trembling as a large neon-colored ghost floated above the ground in front of them, screaming "BOOOOOOOO!"  
  
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! A GH-GH-GH-GHOOOOST!!!" They both dropped the candy they were holding and jumped three feet in the air, running out of the lobby area as fast as they could, the ghost starting to follow them. 


	7. chapter 7

"VELMA!"

Velma turned around, seeing Shaggy and Scooby run into the theater, quickly closing the doors behind them before rushing over to her. She quickly stood up from where she was standing. "What are you guys doing? I thought you were eating all of the theater's candy at the concession stand." She asked, jokingly.

"RA....RA....RA RHOST!" Scooby tried explaining, but Shaggy interrupted him.

"Like, Velma, we saw a...a... a ghost!"

Velma cocked her head to one side with her hands on her hips. "You saw a ghost? Near the concession stand?"

Shaggy and Scooby both stopped trembling from fear long enough to nod decisively. "It's outside the door, following us!" Shaggy added.

"Well, then, let's go see." Velma lead the way back to the doors with Shaggy and Scooby huddling behind her. She opened the doors and looked in the hallway, but it was empty. "What ghost? I don't see the ghost, Shaggy. Are you sure that sugar high hasn't gotten to your brain?"

"I'm like, positive. It was there! The ghost!" He insisted.

"Well, it's not here now. We'll tell the others later, but right now I need you and Scooby to help me look around for clues. We need to hurry or that janitor will show up again." Velma returned to where she was looking before she was interrupted, so Shaggy and Scooby helped look on the other side.

After several moments of silence, Velma called them over to her. "I think I found something..."

Shaggy and Scooby had just gotten over there when the doors opened suddenly. They jumped, frightened at first, but an old man walked in waving an accusing hand at them. "What are you three doing in here?! The theater's closed, get out!"

"Sir..." Velma started to explain. "We were just-,"

"I don't care what cock-a-many excuse you have, missy! But this is MY establishment, and I won't have any teenage vandals comin' onto my property! Now get outta here! If Mr. Jacobs the janitor hadn't called me complainin' about you lot, I wouldn't have to come here so late and chase ya out...!"

Shaggy and Scooby walked out with Velma following close behind, with the man watching them leave with a disgruntled look on his face. "And don't forget your two friends, either!" he shouted after them as they made their way down the hall.

Velma sighed. "Looks like we'll have to come back some other time, guys.... Let's go get Daphne and Fred and get out of here."

"Fine with us." Shaggy agreed.

"Reah, rine rith rus!" Scooby repeated.

The walked down the hallway towards where they knew Daphne and Fred would be, just as the owner yelled at them from the other end of the lobby.

He found his concession stand in quite the disarrangement...

Velma gave them a stern look, but they proceeded down the hallway, being sure to grab Daphne and Fred and leave before the owner caught them again.

* * *

_A/N: _I think the ending sucks, but I really wanted to get this chapter up as soon as possible, and I'm not in the mood to try and think of something better. Sorry.... / I have four days off soon, so I'll definitely try and update this more if I get some ideas. Sorry for taking so long! >. 


	8. chapter 8

"Did you find anything?" Velma asked Daphne and Fred once they were all safely in the van, on the way back to the malt shop. They decided to leave... and maybe go back when they _knew_ the janitor wouldn't be there.

Fred sighed. "No, we searched some storage rooms, but couldn't really find anything. The so called 'ghost' didn't appear at all."

"Like, he did appear to us, man!" Shaggy exclaimed. "We were minding our own business and all of a sudden the ghost was right _there!_ Right, Scoob?" he asked, turning to his furry friend.

"Reah... right rhere!"

"I'm glad you were so scared that you had some time to grab some candy before you ran in terror..." Daphne joked, smiling at them.

"Being frightened sure makes you hungry, right pal?" Shaggy asked Scooby, who nodded and handed his friend some licorice candy.

"So now what?" Fred asked the gang. "When do you want to go back and look some more?"

"Maybe instead of coming when we think no one is there, we should actually buy some tickets and go see a show. Maybe sneak off. Then we can justify why we're there in the first place, for starters." Daphne pointed out.

"I suppose that will work, Daphne." Velma replied. "But what if the ghost doesn't appear amidst a crowd of people?"

"The late show!" Fred exclaimed. "I always loved _Dracula_, and maybe a midnight airing won't have so many people. What do you think?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, except Shaggy and Scooby, of course.

"Racula? Rhat's 'Racula'?" Scooby asked, puzzled.

"Like, it's a creepy old movie, man... about this vampire that sucks blood!" Shaggy bared his teeth and raised his arms, making a scary face, attempting to scare Scooby. It worked. His friend yelped and jumped into the front seat, landing in Velma's lap.

"You guys!" Velma laughed. "Actually, Scooby, _Dracula_ is a classic. I prefer the wonderful novel to the movie, but that's just me. We can go right after the football game tomorrow night, and since I've never been much for football I'll come early and purchase our tickets."

"Sounds like a plan." Fred said, turning into the Malt Shop which just happened to be open. "After all of that searching and getting kicked out by that cranky theater owner, I'm ready for a vanilla shake with a cherry on top.... what about you guys?"

Scooby jumped to the back seat next to Shaggy again. "Reah Reah! Rerries!" (Yeah Yeah! Cherries!)

"Make that three vanilla shakes, with a hundred cherries! Mmmmmm!" Shaggy added.

The gang laughed, and stepped out of Fred's van, walking towards the Malt Shop.

* * *

_A/N:_ I've noticed a lot of you keep wanting longer chapters... but to be honest, I think shorter chapters just works for me. I mean, _Scooby Doo, Where Are You?_ Always seemed to be short, simple, and to the point to me. So... I'm trying to make the chapters the same way. But I'll try and make them a little longer, because I do realize how short they seem. So I'll figure something out lol.

P.S: thanks for the reviews!


	9. Chapter 9

Shouting came from the green field at the gang's local High School, where the football players were in alignment for their next play. The game was already halfway over, and Scooby and Shaggy were too busy eating their mountain of sizzling hotdogs, sweet milkshakes, and swirls of pink cotton candy to keep attention to the score.

They sat near the top, away from most everyone else sitting in the stands wearing colorful fan jerseys and banners, many emblazoned with Fred's name and his jersey number.

Scooby didn't seem to be bothered by anyone, and he and Shaggy had so far managed to keep out of sight of any teachers or the principal.

"Hey guys!" Velma yelled up the rickety wooden steps as she slowly made her way over to them.

As Shaggy looked down at her, waving, Scooby took the opportunity to take the last ten hotdogs and five cotton candies still sitting beside him, swallowing them whole. "Hey, man! I never said you could finish off my snacks!"

Scooby burped in response before shrugging. "Some pal, you are!"

Velma sat beside Shaggy, handing him two tickets to the _Dracula _showing that would occur later that night. "I got the tickets. There didn't seem to be that many people in line, so I'm sure the theater will be empty."

Shaggy was about to answer, looking apprehensive, before more cheers erupted from the crowd below them. They all looked at the field to see Fred scoring a touchdown, with Daphne leading him on in a rousing cheer from the sidelines with the rest of the cheerleaders.

"Like, it sure is weird we've all become pals, isn't it?" Shaggy asked Velma as the commotion died down and Fred went off to huddle with his teammates again.

"Yeah… I never would have dreamed of getting into a van with the head cheerleader and the school jock. The clique dynamic of high school society doesn't usually encourage such relations."

"Um, like, Velma… can you speak English, please?"

Velma giggled and turned to Shaggy, hitting him playfully on the shoulder. "What I'm saying, silly, is that we belong to different social groups. Most groups don't mingle that well together… they certainly don't go off on ghost hunts, either."

"Scooby and I don't really know much about social cliques, do we Scoob? There's this groovy chick I sometimes talked to, named Amy, but mostly I just hang by myself with old Scoob here."

"Rawwww….. Raggy!" Scooby placed a paw on Shaggy's shoulder, feeling guilty that he had borrowed most of his master's snacks.

Velma looked down at the field again, watching Fred closely as he made another pass with the sun setting behind him. "Friends are a great thing, Shaggy, and I for one am glad I became friends with all of you."

Shaggy smiled and they watched the rest of the game together, walking down the stands towards the locker rooms when the game ended. Shaggy felt the paper tickets in his hand and gulped, knowing that there was no way he and Scooby could back out of their commitment to their new friends now.

They waited a few minutes for Daphne and Fred to meet them near the parking lot in their regular clothes, and then Velma handed the two of them their tickets before they climbed back into the van and headed for the malt shop a few hours before they were due at the theater.


End file.
